Jet type bailer with gas generating mechanism



Dec. 1, 1959 v. D. HANES 2,915,125

JET TYPE BAILER WITH GAS GENERATING MECHANISM Filed June 1, 1956' i lo 2Sheets-Sheet l WINE III, &

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INVENTOR. VAUGHN D. HANES JET TYPE BAILER WITH GAS GENERATING MECHANISMFiled June 1, 1956 V. D. HANES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 1, 1959 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent JET TYPE BAILER WITH GAS GENERATING MECHANISMVaughn D. Hanes, West Covina, Calif., assignor to Aerojet-GeneralCorporation, Azusa, Calif., a corporation of Ohio Application June 1,1956, Serial No. 588,827

6 Claims. (Cl. 166-63) This invention relates to oil well tools, and inparticular, to a bailer for removing debris or other materials from awell bore.

An object of the invention is to provide a bailer with a powerful,self-contained jetting means which is not dependent upon highsubmergence pressures for eflicient operation.

Another object is to provide a jet type bailer in which it is notnecessary to lift debris the entire height of the bailer in order tofill the bailer.

Another .object is to provide a bailer from which the debris containedtherein can be easily removed.

Another object is to provide a jet type bailer which can be run on aconventional steel line without the use of an insulated electric cable.

- This invention includes a bailer body having upper and lowercompartments, one compartment comprising a gas generating chamber andthe other compartment or compartments being so disposed and arranged asto receive debris which has been elevated above the lower end of thebailer by the jet stream issuing from a nozzle connected to the gasgenerating chamber.

Bailers or sand pumps for the removal of debris from wherein the bucketsare flexible and the gas generating chamber is located above thebuckets.

The general arrangement of the major parts of the bailer is bestillustrated in Fig. 1. The bailer is shown suspended in a well casing 1by means of a wire line 2 and a conventional socket connector 3. Theouter surface of the bailer is spaced from the wall of the bore at alltimes. The bailer may have one or more debris buckets 4 secured togetherin end-to-end relation, several such buckets being illustrated. Attachedto the lowermost bucket is a propellant chamber 5, below which is anignition assembly 6 having a downwardly directed nozzle 7. The nozzle 7is shown suspended slightly above the top of a bridge formed by a bodyof debris 8 in the well casing 1. A fluid jet issuing from the nozzle 7blasts the debris 8 upwardly through the well fluid 9 in the directionof the arrows 10 and into theinteriors of the buckets 4, as the latterare hoisted from the well, as will be explained more fully.

Referring to Fig. 2, the upper end of the uppermost bucket 4 is providedwith a typical cable tool pin joint as shown at 11, adapted to bethreadedly attached to the socket 3 (Fig. 1) supported by the wire line2. The lower end of the pin joint 11 is attached to the upper end of thebucket 4 by suitable means, such 'as thethreads 12. The pin joint 11 mayor may not be provided with a number of inlet holes 13 to enable debristhat may tend to accumulate on the shoulder of the joint to enter thebucket 4 suspended from the joint.

The buckets 4 are tubular in form with fluid inlets 14 at their upperends and closures 15 at their lower ends.

wells require a high fluid head in order to operate etficiently.Propellant jet type bailers, on the other hand, operate most eflicientlyunder low fluid heads. This is because low fluid heads create less backpressure on the propellant combustion chamber and therefore permit aslower burning rate and an increased volume of gas production.

A problem in the design of propellant jet type bailers is thepositioning of the propellant combustion chamber with respect to thebailer compartment. If the propellant chamber is located below thebailer compartment (in order to employ an ignition system which isactuated upon striking a bridge or the bottom of the well) the debrismust be raised to a considerable height, on the order of to 60 feet, inorder to permit the debris to enter the top of the bailer compartment.This necessitates the use of an excessive amount of propellant. Animportant object of the-present invention is to provide a bailercompartment so arranged as to fill, or substantially fill, the bailer.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will beevident from the following description and drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing a bailer completely asor combustionignition chamber portion of the device shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 illustrates an alternate type of jet nozzle for use with theinvention; and

Fig. 5 illustrates another embodiment of the invention burning of thepropellant 31.

The buckets 4 may be provided with drain ports 16 in their walls topermit well fluid to drain back into the well while retaining soliddebris.

The buckets 4 are connected together by any suitable means such as thecoupling 17 which are threadedly attached to adjacent buckets by thethreads 18. The couplings 17 may be provided with closure partitions 15for the lower ends of the buckets 4.

In the event that the debris to be removed from the well contains asubstantial amount of fine, flour-like sand which would pass readilythrough the drain ports 16, tubular screen liners 19 may be inserted ineach of the buckets 4 to strain the sand out of the well liquids. Themesh of the screens 19 can be varied to suit the sand conditionsencountered in different wells. The screen liners 19 may be providedwith vertical stiffener rods. 20 attached to rings 21-22 at oppositeends of the tubular screens. The lower ring 22 may be provided withhandle 23 for convenience in assembly or removal. A retainer pin 24 maybe positioned within the bucket 4 above the top ring 21 to preventupward movement'of the tubular screen 19. The lower end of the screen 19is supported by a coupling member 17 or 25.

The propellant chamber 5 is attached to the lower end of the lowermostbucket 4 by any suitable means such as the tubular coupling 25 which isthreaded at both ends as indicated at 26 and provided with an O ringseal 21 between the walls of the coupling 25 and the propellant chamber5. The tubular coupling 25 is provided With a closure member 28.Depending from the closure member 28 is a helical compression spring 29secured tothe closure member by any suitable means such as a bolt 36*.The lower end of spring 29 bears against the upper end of a grain 31 ofsolid propellant to keep the grain from loose movement and possiblebreakage during handling and shipping.

Referring to Fig. 3, the lower end of the propellant gram 31 issupported on a spider 32 having passageways; 33 therethrough for thepassage of gas generated by the The spider 32 may be provided with acentral opening 34 adapted to receive a percussion cap 35 which is heldin place by means of a threaded bushing 36. The lower end of thepropellant grain 31 is shown as being recessed at 37 to receive thepercussion cap 35, although such a construction is not essential.

'The spider 32 is supported on the upper end of a tubular housing 38 bysuitable means such as the threaded connection 39. The tubular housing38 is supported at its lower end on the tubular housing 6 by anysuitable means such as the threaded connection 40. The housing 38 isprovided with passageways 41 and 42 which permit gas from the propellantchamber to pass therethrough. The upper end of the tubular housing 6 isattached to the lower end of the propellant chamber by any suitablemeans such as the threaded connection 43. An 0 ring 44 provides a sealbetween the walls of the housing 6 and the propellant chamber 5.

The upper end of the nozzle 7 extends within the lower end of housing 6and terminates in an enlarged upper end 45 having a downwardly facingshoulder 46. A bushing 47 is threadedly connected to the lower end ofhousing 6, as indicated at 48. The upper end of bushing 47 bears againstthe downwardly facing shoulder 46 on the head 45 and prevents the nozzle7 from dropping out of the housing 6.

The nozzle 7 is slidable axially and telescopically within the housing 6and is yieldably held in its extended position by a coil compressionspring 49 mounted in a cylindrical chamber 50 within the housing 6. Thespring 49 is confined, in a compressed condition, between a downwardlyfacing shoulder 51 in housing 6 and an upwardly facing shoulder 52 onthe upper end of nozzle 7. Spacer washers 53 may be inserted between thespring 49 and nozzle 7 to adjust the spring compression if desired.

The upper end of the nozzle is provided with an upwardly extendingtubular extension 54 of reduced diameter and which passes slidablythrough an opening 55 in the upper end of housing 6. An 0 ring 56provides a sliding seal between the nozzle extension 54 and the opening55. The upper end of the tubular extension 54 is provided with anenlarged chamber 57, threaded internally as indicated at 58, to receivea threaded valve cage 59. An 0 ring 60 seals the walls between the valvecage 59 and the enlarged chamber 57. The upper end of valve cage 59 isnormally closed by a cover plate 61 having an upwardly extending boss62. The boss 62 is threaded externally as indicated at 63 and isprovided with a vertically extending bore 64. Within the bore 64 thereis mounted a pressure-responsive closure valve 65. Valve 65 has anenlarged head 66 on the lower end thereof to prevent upward movement ofthe cylindrical valve shank 67 through the bore 64 in cover plate 61.The shank is provided with an external groove 68 in which there ispositioned an O ring 69 which forms a slidable seal between the shank 67and bore 64. The upper end of shank 67 extends beyond the top of theboss 62 and engages a frangible keeper 70 which normally prevents thevalve 65 from moving downwardly out of the bore 64. The valve 65 isefiective to prevent well fluid from passing upwardly into the passagesleading from the nozzle 7 to the propellant chamber until the valve isopened, but not removed from the passageway, by gas pressure generatedby burning of the propellant.

Threadedly connected to the boss 62 is an upwardly extending tubularsleeve 71 which contains the striker mechanism for initiating thepercussion cap 35. Intermediate to the ends of the sleeve 71 is abarrier wall 73 separating the interior of the sleeve 71 into upper andlower chambers. The lower chamber is provided with ports 72 in the Wallsthereof. The upper chamber is provided with a spring-actuated firing pin74. Preferably, the firing pin 74 is cylindrical in, shape witha solidupper portion having a downwardly depending skirt 75 within which isconfined a compression spring 76 supported by the barrier wall 73. Thespring 76 1s normally held in compressed position by means of a balldetent 77 mounted in an aperture 78 in the wall of the sleeve 71 in theupper chamber thereof. The firing pin 74 is provided with acircumferential boss 79 on the outer surface thereof which normallyengages the underside of the ball 77. The ball 77 is normallyconstrained against outward movement by contact with the inner surfaceof the tubular housing 38. The upper interior surface of the tubularhousing 38 is recessed as indicated at 80 to permit the ball detent 77to disengage the boss 79 upon upward movement of the sleeve 71 withrespect to the housing 38. This disengagement occurs when the sleeve 71moves upward to the position indicated in dotted lines 81. Thusreleased, the firing pin moves rapidly upwardly, urged by the spring 76until it strikes the percussion cap 35, thus initiating detonation ofthe cap, which, in turn, ignites the propellant 31.

Upward movement of the nozzle 7 and the associated firing mechanism isinitiated by contact of the lower end of nozzle 7 with top of a bridgeor debris 8 (Fig. l) in the well. The amount of upward movement of thenozzle 7 with respect to the ignition chamber 6 is limited by thedistance between the head 45 on the nozzle 7 and a downwardly facingshoulder 82 on the interior of the chamber 50 in the housing 6. The wallof chamber 50 is provided with ports 83 to permit well fluid to enter orleave the chamber 50.

The interior lower end of nozzle 7 is preferably provided with areplaceable orifice bushing 84 threadedly secured within the nozzle 7 asindicated at 85.

The exterior lower end of nozzle 7 is preferably threaded as indicatedat 86 to receive tubular foot pieces 87 or 88 (in dotted lines) ofdiiferent diameters, depending upon the degree of solidity of the debrisin the well. Loose debris may require a larger area of footing in orderto insure that the nozzle 7 will be moved upwardly upon contact with thedebris. The spring 49 should be strong enough to prevent accidentalupward movement of the nozzle 7 while the tool is being run into thewell. A shear pin, not shown, could be inserted between the nozzle 7 andhousing 6 to prevent premature upward movement of the nozzle 7.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification of the nozzle portion of the bailershown in Fig. 3. The lower end of the ignition chamber is indicated at6a and 47a, and is similar to the chamber 6 and 47 of Fig. 3. The nozzle7a differs from the nozzle 7 in that it is tapered downwardly andinwardly, as indicated at 89 and terminates in relatively sharp point90, the more easily to penetrate into the body of debris 8 (Fig. l). Thelower end 91 of the nozzle 7a may be a separate, detachable piece,threadedly connected to the nozzle 7a as indicated at 92. The nozzle 7ais provided with a fluid passageway 54a which communicates with asimilar passageway 54!) in the nozzle tip 91. Adjacent the lower end ofpassageway 54b there are two or more upwardly directed jet passageways93. In operation, when the nozzle end 91 is embedded in the debris 8,fluid jets issuing from the jet passageways 93 will not only dislodgethe debris by developing a fluid pressure below the surface of thedebris but will also move the loosened debris upwardly toward thebuckets 4.

The buckets 4 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are rigid, metal buckets of smallerdiameter than the well casing 1 through which they must pass freely,allowing ample clearance between the walls of the buckets and theinternal walls of the casing 1. Close clearances between the buckets 4and casing 1 not only slow down the running in of the bailer but alsotend to cause the bailer to become stuck in the casing when debrisbecomes lodged bet-ween the buckets and the casing. It is not essentialto the present invention that the buckets 4 be rigid or not raise thedebris to a point above the top of the bailer body.

The foregoing description and drawings are illustrative only. Thepresent invention is not to be limited thereto, but is of the scopedefined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cable suspended well bailer adapted for use in a Well casingcomprising: an elongated body having a chamber therein, said bodyadapted to be spaced clear of the well casing, means for gas generationarranged within said chamber, a downwardly directed nozzle arranged atthe lower end of said body, conduit means for leading gas from saidchamber to said nozzle, and a plurality of debris collecting meanshaving greater volume than the gas generating chamber, said debriscollecting means being attached to said elongated body and provided withlateral openings intermediate the length thereof, whereby anunobstructed path is provided for the upward flow of debris dislodgedfrom the bottom of the well, said debris being lodged in the debriscollecting means by passage through said large lateral openings thereofand retention therein.

2. A well bailer as described in claim 1 in which telescopic mountingmeans is arranged on said body for said downwardly directed nozzle, afirst resilient means for normally holding said nozzle in an extendedposition, a firing pin projectably mounted on the inner end of saidnozzle, means actuated by said firing pin to initiate operation of thegas generating means, and means effective to retain said firing pin inretracted position on said .nozzle until such time as said nozzle hasbeen composed of metal. For example, the buckets could be formed offlexible material, such as rubber, as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 illustrates schematically an embodiment of the invention whereinflexible buckets or cups 94 are employed in place of the rigid metalbuckets 4. The flexible cups are of lesser diameter than the well casing1a and are mounted one above the other, with their open ends facingupwardly, on a pipe 95 which provides a fluid passageway from apropellant chamber 96 to a jet nozzle 97. The bailer is suspended from ahoisting line 2a which may be either a stranded steel cable or aninsulated electric conductor cable.

The operation of the bailers shown in the drawings is obvious from theforegoing description of several embodiments of the invention. When thebailer is in position on top of the debris in the well, the propellantis ignited. High pressure gas is generated in the propellant chamber anddischarged downwardly through the jet nozzles. Loosened debris is forcedupwardly above one or more of the buckets. The bailer is then pulledupwardly by means of the supporting cable. As the bailer moves upwardly,debris is deposited in the buckets while well liquids are strained outthrough the drain ports (if such drain ports are employed). The use of aseries of vertically spaced buckets, instead of one, long (40 to 60foot) pipe, open at its upper end, will insure that some, if not all, ofthe debris raised by the jet, will enter one or more of the buckets eventhough the jet might urged inwardly toward said body a predetermineddistance by engagement with the bottom of the well.

3. A well bailer as defined in claim 2 in which second resilient meansis mounted to project said firing pin, and detent means holding saidsecond resilient means in compressed condition until such time as saidnozzle has been urged inwardly toward said body a predetermined distanceby engagement with the bottom of the well.

4. A bailer adapted for operation in a well casing comprising: anelongated body having a chamber therein, said body adapted to be spacedclear of the well casing, means for generating gaseous pressure arrangedwithin said chamber, nozzle means arranged at the lower end of saidbody, the lower end of said nozzle means being tapered downwardly andinwardly to terminate in a point, conduit means for leading gas fromsaid chamber to said nozzle means, said nozzle means having upwardly andoutwardly directed fluid jet passageways therein arranged above thelower end thereof, said passageways communicating with said conduitmeans, the lower end of said nozzle means being formed as a solid memberadapted to penetrate into and be arrested by debris at the bottom ofsaid well, and debris collecting means attached to said elongated body,whereby an unobstructed path is provided for the upward flow of debrisdislodged from the bottom of the well, and lodgment thereof in thedebris collecting means.

5. A well bailer as defined in claim 1 wherein said conduit meanscomprise a passageway, and valve means mounted in said passagewaywhereby said valve means normally close said passageway to prevent theentry of well fluid thereto but are opened to permit the flow ofpressurized gas through said passageway when the generated gas pressureexceeds a predetermined value.

6. A well bailer as described in claim 1 wherein said debris collectingmeans comprise a plurality of vertically spaced buckets connectedbetween the chamber containing body and the suspending cable, saidbuckets having lateral openings at their upper end, cable attachingmeans carried at the upper end of the uppermost bucket, tubularcouplings having closure partitions therein connecting the buckets insuperposed relation to one another and the lowermost bucket to the upperend of said chamber body to provide a rigid bailer structure.

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